Went out around 5:10 p.m., and the sun had already gone down, since we moved off of Daylight Savings Time last weekend. No wind, and air temps in the high 60's, which is a gift for November. No boats out at all, and by the time I returned to our beach 30 minutes later, it was full-on dark. Such a contrast to kayaking after work all spring, summer, and fall! Herons were out, and I ran into a whole flock of Canada Geese in the water, so apparently they've not all left the Chesapeake by flying south -- yet.
Century Club: Richard Turman
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
Monday, November 1, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
The fall is upon us. Headed out at 5:45, just as the sun was setting, and had a beautiful 40 minute ride in zero wind, out into Round Bay and back to our dock on Valentine Creek. 58 degrees out when I left, and a little chillier once I got home.
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
Took out the kayak to remove some of the flotsam and jetsam that had become fouled in the lift under the powerboat amidst the highest tides in a decade, which came two nights before, and over-topped our dock by 20 inches. Use the kayak to look at neighbors beaches to see if I could find any of the two dock boards I lost -- to no avail.
Took the powerboat down off its lift and ran the bilge pump to get the rainwater all out. Then took it out for a spin. Went to look at three keelboats that are on lifts, to see how the keel arrangement was handled. Three different approaches!
Friday, October 29, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
Chestertown, MD has hosted "Sultana Downrigging Weekend' for two decades, and after cancelling it last year, it was wonderful to ride along one of seven tall ships on a crisp Halloween weekend. Got some great pix of the two-masted schooners Pride of Baltimore and the Lynx from the deck of the Virginia, another two-masted schooner. As well as several of the Kalmar Nykel, a 3-master. A wonderful throwback afteroon to the age of sail!
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
Took my second ride on a Tartan 245, this one hull #2, this time in light air. In 3-7 mph breezes off Annapolis Sailing School about 11 in the morning we had enough to move along pretty well, with the wind freshening enough by the time we came back downwind that we could raise the spin, which went up with remarkably little drama, and doubled our downwind speed -- from 2 knots to 4... A good ride!
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
Realizing that there won't be more evenings around 70 degrees, it was great to get out for 40 minutes on the kayak after the sun went down.
Sunday, October 24, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
I usually kayak just for pleasure, and a bit of exercise, but today was my sailing fleet's annual awards ceremony, and I got to kayak there and back. It was fine going over, with very light breeze from the West, but things picked up by the time I was returning, with wind in the 8 mph range, and I had to kayak against it. But it was no big deal, and it was fabulous to be out on a warm day -- when we may not have many left this year!
Saturday, October 23, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
Waving goodbye
Underway
In her new home
Fiona under spin
After seven years, I've sold my Harbor 20, Fiona, to a new owner, and had to deliver her from my dock on Valentine Creek, up the Severn River, to Bert Jabins' boat year in Annapolis, about 8 miles away.
The trip took a bit over 3 hours, since instead of winds being from the North, as forecast, they were from the South, right on my nose. I used my Torqueedo at low speed against the light breeze, averaging around 2.5 mph. Got to put the main and jib up about half an hour in, once the wind picked up a bit. Was fascinating to remember going aground with Fiona on her first voyage up this river from Jabins, back in 2014, right at the entry to Round Bay, off Sherwood Forest -- a mistake I never made again.
My Harbor 20 was a great daysailer for me to explore and enjoy Round Bay on my own, as well as with family, a lot of whom have been on her, including my brother and sister, my parents, and my nephews and cousins. It has been a great family boat to learn about sailing in a small keelboat with. It has also been a fun boat to learn to race on -- figuring out how to win the start, and then try to figure out where the marks are and how to get to them fastest and most efficiently. Learned how to fly a spinnaker, and make all the mistakes one can doing so. Was fabulous to have a great teacher in my teammate and neighbor, without whom Fiona would still have been last every night. And to be joined by another neighbor who joined our team, and to be with them in 2019 when we won a PHRF race on corrected time was spectacular.
All good things come to an end, and I'm planning to buy a bigger daysailor. But Fiona has been a marvel. And a great partner with whom to decompress after work by sailing out and running a course and watching the sun set.
End of an era.
Friday, October 22, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
It was getting late, but I went out anyway, leaving my house around 6, after the sun had gone below the trees. But the water was pretty smooth, and no boats were about, so it was a wonderful evening trip up the Valentine and back down and then up Plum Creek and home. Very few Canada geese left, or else they were unaccountably quiet, but I did see 5 heron (or the same heron multiple times...).
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Number of days:
1 day
With the knowledge that there aren't going to many more warm, lovely evenings in which to explore the neighborhood. Went out into Round Bay, and along the coastline and back. Lovely.